Sheep dip



Patented July 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GELLERT ALLEMAN, OF SWARTHMORE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SUN 01L COM PANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHEEP DIP.

No Drawing.

My invention is a new and useful composition intended principally for use as a sheep dip but adaptable to other uses. The wool of sheep becomes infected with various vermin and insects, such as ticks, lice, fleas and jiggers, as well as harmful germs, and while there are known antiseptics that are more or less eflicacious, they are expensive, or their action is not thorough, or the effects are transitory, or they are more or less poisonous to the sheep especially if taken internally.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a sheep dip that will be inexpensive to manufacture, that will not be uneconomical even if applied in liberal quantities, that will act upon every hair of the wool from the root to the tip, that will be harmless to the sheep even if more or less of the com position is swallowed, and that will have effects so lasting as to make frequent applications unnecessary. I

I use as the principal ingredient of my composition a substance which is not only readily available but is deemed of so little value that it is often allowed to go to waste. In the refining of mineral oils, it is customary to treat the stock in an agitator, first with a mineral acid and then with an alkali, usually caustic soda, leaving a residue variously known as soda residue, alkali precipitate, etc. This residue, particularly where the stock treatedis lubricating oil stock, is a mixture or emulsion of fatty acid soaps,

mineral lubricating oil and alkaline salt water. As drawn from the agitator, a typical composition would be: fatty acid soap, ten or twelve parts; mineral oil, twentyeight or thirty parts; and alkaline salt water, including some free alkali, sixty parts. It is desirable to allow this mixture to settle, and then draw off the lower layer of alkaline salt water. The proportions of fatty acid soap, mineral oil and alkaline salt water in the mixture that is drawn from the agitator will, of course, vary with different crude petroleums and with different re finery practices. After the lower layer of alkaline salt water is drawnofi, a typical composition would be: fatty acid soap,

Application filed March 24, 1923. Serial No. 627,313.

twenty-two per cent; mineral oil, fifty-five per cent.; water, twenty-three per cent. It is this substance which I have practically used as the main ingredient of my composition, although it will be understood that the relative proportions of fatty acid soap and eral oil may be manufactured in other ways.

Thus the alkali precipitate above mentioned may be treated with a weak solution of a mineral acid (say seven per cent sulfuric. acid), thereby decomposing the soap. Upon settlement it divides into an upper layer of fatty acids and mineral oil and a bottom layer of salt Water, which may be drawn off. This process is set forth in the Maitland -Patents No. 1,425,882 and No. 1,425,884,

issued August 15, 1922. These fatty acids, 4

or, as they are also termed, organic acids or saponifiable oils, are water-insoluble and readily saponifiable. When saponified, they are miscible in all proportions with water andmineral oil. Instead of the unpurified alkali precipitate above mentioned, I may utilize a saponified fatty acid of this character, provided, however, that a substantial proportion of lubricating or other mineral oil is not separated out therefrom or (if largely or wholly separated out) is afterward added thereto; a saponified fatty acid, whether derived from animal, vegetable or mineral sources, unmixed with a large pro portion of mineral oil, being inoperative to secure the results obtained by the use of my composition. It may be added that this de scribed purified fatty acid soap has no superior utility for my purpose over the previously described alkali precipitate, which latter, being cheaper, is used preferably.

The only advantage of utilizing the purified fatty acid soaps is that practically all free alkali is eliminated therefrom, thereby eliminating a more or less objectionable ingredt cut and reducing the bulk of the product by reason of the removal of most of the water, the latter factor involving a saving in freight. So far, however, as the free alkali may be objectionable, it is neutralized in my finished product by the addition of acid, as hereinafter explained.

Fatty acid soaps are derivable from mineral oil by other methods, but these it is unnecessary to describe, as I have hereinbe' fore described two methods, and the method of extracting them is not material.

To the alkali precipitate, or other solution or colloidal suspension of fatty acida. and mineral oil, I add one of the tar acids, preferably cresylic acid (composed of a mixture of ortho, meta and para cresols),

Other tar acids, particularly carbolic acid, C H OH, are usable, but have less desirable properties than cresylic acid.

A mixture of tar acids may also be used. In practicin the process with the alkali preci itate t at I have used, which is a de rivatlve of asphaltic or naphthenic crude petroleum (specifically Texas crude), I proceed by adding the cresylic acid to the alkali' precipitate until the yellow alkali precipitate loses its tafi'y-like consistency and appearance and attains the consistency and appearance of ordinary oil. have found practicable to add vary from about ten per cent to about thirty per cent of the composition after such addition. Seven per cent I have found to be too small a proportion to secure the consistency and appearance sought, while the excess over substantially more than thirty per cent will not combine with, or dissolve in, the alkali preci itate. I prefer to add the largest speci ed proportion of cresylic acid, or about thirty per cent. If, however, the mixture of petroleum-derived fatty acid soap and mineral oil is something other than the impure alkali precipitate which I preferably use, or if such alkali precipitate 1s derive from other crude petroleum than that above specified, the permissible range of proportions of cresylic acid may differ from that above specified.

I am uncertain whether the product resulting from the above additions of cresylic acid is a solution or a compound formed by the union of the substances. The two substanceswill not separate on long standing, even in cold Weather.

It is not required that the tar acids should be added in a pure state. There are certain so-called tars, containing tar acids, that can be substituted for the tar acids; al-.

The proportions that I.

though, of course, the proportion of the substituted ingredient would vary with its content of tar acid. Distillates from such tars are also available. As examples of such substances may be mentioned Scotch blast furnace oil, lignite tar (produced in the Ruhr district of Germany) and tars from low temperature carbonization of coal. Any of these tars, or their distillates, are usable.

My new composition is soluble, or miscible, or emulsifiable, in all proportions, in

water. It possesses remarkable antiseptic and other desirable properties.

When used as a sheep dip, for which it is more especially intended, it is dissolved (say) in about 200 parts of water. The ani mal may be sprayed or washed with the composition, but where a large flock of sheep is to be treated, it is practicable and desirable to run the composition into a large vat and drive the sheep through the vat, the bath being deep enough to almost or quite submerge the trunk of the sheep. All vermin, insects, and germs are destroyed. In addition to the value of the composition in this regard, the hair of the animal is rendered soft. The composition is also an excellent detergent.

Cresylic acid is a known antiseptic, but' its use as a sheep dip or animal cleaner,

when merely dissolved in water, is objec-v tionable. When so added it rapidly volatilizes and therefore has no subsequent protective effect. Moreover, its use is dangerous, as it is more or less poisonous when swallowed. Again, it does not thoroughly act upon the entire mass of hair. My new composition, after evaporation of water, remains on the sheep for a long. time after treatment, and it has no poisonous action if swallowed. The globules of the composition actually climb the hair from root to top and therefore the action is extremely thorough.

It is not necessary to treat the sheep with my new composition with frequency, as the composition acts protectively for (months after administration. It is not absolutely necessary to dip the sheep oftener than once a year, although one treatment every three months is advisable.- If the sheep are treated once every three months, or thereabouts, as much as 250 parts of water to one part of the composition may be added. If treated every six months, the composition should be'applied in less dilute form, say 200 parts of water; while if treated annually, only 150 parts of water may be added. These proportions seem to be desirable based upon observation, experiment and practical use, but use of the composition on a more extensive and prolonged scale may make it desirable to modify the degrees of dilution above recommended. If

while if it contains a larger percentage of water than that herein specified, the degree of dilution with water would be reduced.

In my new composition, the alkali precipitate itself has valuable antiseptic prop erties, and therefore it may be used to supplement the action of any known animal antiseptic provided that, when dissolved in or combined therewith, it does not form an electrolyte.

It should be understood that the fatty acid soap herein described as an ingredient of my improved composition has necessarily the characteristics of the fatty acid soap contained in the alkali precipitate resulting from the treatment with an alkali of acidtreated mineral lubricating stock, as hereinbefore described, and does not have the characteristics of saponified sulfonic acids. Sulfonic acids, while derived from mineral oil, are water-soluble and contain a high percentage, usually about sixteen per cent of combined sulfur, and are not, 1t is believed, fatty acids, which are water insoluble (before saponification) and contain no combined sulfur, although they may have a small percentage of sulfates as impurities, and which are preferably removable, as herein described. It should be understood,

' 'therefore, that in specifying, in the claims.

a fatty acid soap derivative from mineral oil, the term is not apt to include, and is distinctly intended to exclude, sulfonic acids or naphthenic acids, neither of which could be substituted for the fatty acid soap derivative described. 4

While, as above stated my new composition is intended primarily for use as a sheep dip, it is'adapted for use as an antiseptic in treating other animals than sheep. It is also adapted for use as a plant and tree spray. I am aware that oleic acid soap is known as an antiseptic and that it has been rendered fluid by adding carbolic acid or cresylic acid so as to give a finished product containing about thirty-six per cent of such acid. Applicants emulsion of fatty acid soap and mineral oil possesses sufficient fluidity without the addition of cresylic acid, which is added thereto solely to increase the antisepticv properties. This old composition is harsh and irritating to the skin and, because of its high surface tension, does not s read over the skin or hair. My composit1on not only involves the use of the saponified derivative from petroleum hereinbefore described, but the emulsion therewith of a substantially larger proportion of mineral oil (preferably lubricating oil). While the preferred percentage of cresylic acid in my finished roduct is somewhat smaller thanin this 0 d composition, the percentage in my composition of cresylic acid to the socalled saponified fatty acid .is much greater than in the old compositionbeing in fact preferably in larger proportion than such saponified fatty acid and always in much larger proportion than that constituent thereof which is a true sodium soap.

Having now fully described by invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A new composition adapted for use in dilute form as a sheep dip and lant and tree spray, comprisin mineral 011, a fatty acid soap. derivative om mineral oil,'and cresylic acid.

2. A new composition adapted for use in dilute form as a sheep dip and plant and tree spray, comprising mineral 011, a fatty acid soap derivative from mineral oil, and a tar acid.

3. A new composition adapted for use in dilute form as a sheep dip and plant and tree spray, comprising mineral oil and a fatty acid soap derivative from mineral oil, and an antiseptic which when added thereto does not form an electrolyte.

4. A new composition adapted for use as a sheep dip and tree spray, comprising mineral oil, a fatty acid soap derivative from mineral oil, a tar acid, and substantially over one hundred parts of water to one part of the other ingredients.

5. A new com osition ada ted for use in dilute form as a s eep dip an plant and tree spray, comprising mineral oil, a fatty acid soap derivative from mineral oil, and a tar 6. A new composition adapted for use in dilute form as a sheep dip and plant and tree spray, comprising mineral oil, a fatty acid soap derivative from mineral oil, and an antiseptic which added thereto does' not form an electrolyte, the ercentage of mineral oil being in excess of t at of either of the other ingredients.

7. A new complosition adapted for use in dilute form as a s eep dip and plant and tree spray, comprising mineral oil, a fatt acid soap derivative from mineral oil an a tar acid, the tar acid being in not substantially smaller proportion than thefatty acid soap derivatiye.

8. A new composition adapted for use in dilute form as a sheep dip and lant and tree spray, comprising a fatty aci soap derivative from mineral oil, a tar acid in not substantially smaller proportion than the fatty acid soap derivatlve, and mineral oil in larger proportion than either of the other two ingredients.

9. A new composition ad pt d for use 'in dilute form as a sheep dip and plantand tree acid in not substantially smaller porportinn spray, comprising mineral oil, a fatty acid than said soap derivative, and mineral oil 10 soar derivative from mineral oil, petroleum in substantially larger proportion than said resins, and a tar acid. soap derivative.

10. A new composition adapted for use in In testimony of which invention, I have dilute form as a sheep dip and plant and tree hereunto set my hand, at Swarthmore, spray, comprising a fatty acid soap deriva;- Penna, on this 13th day of March, 1923. tive from mineral oil, petroleum resins, a tar GELLERT ALLEMAN. 

